12/10/22 : CAIRO -> ALEXANDRIA -> CAIRO

12/10/22 : Cairo to Alexandria back to Cairo 

After breakfast we rode off in our bus to Alexandria, second largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre. We explored the city with Roman Amphitheater and Catacombs - a historical archaeological site.  Catacomb of El Kom Shouqafa,  where the walls were carved with pictures depicting  mummification process, organs taken and offered to the God.  

Sacrophages and tombs were displayed and surrounding walls had beautiful carvings. It is comprises of two seperate complexes, Main Catacomb and the Hall of Caracalla

Entrance to the tombs is accessed by spiral stairway from above. These catacombs make up the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt.  

We went to Serapium Temple built by the Greeks.  The cooperation between Egyptians and Greeks led to new state and Ptolemy wanted a common cult which would provide meeting place for both.  The focus of the new religion centred around gods Isis, Serapis and Harpocrates.  Although Isis and her son god Harberates were Egyptian gods. Scrapis was the ancient Egyptian god Osar-Hapim the sacred Apis Bull after his death.  For the Greeks, the new god Serapis was identified with the supreme god Zeus  

We walked off to Pompeii's Pillar, a Roman triumphal column in Alexandria and is one of the largest ancient monolith.  Pompey's Pillar is one of the most famous glories of Alexandria.  This pillar was in the middle of a portico containing some 400 columns.

We had a lovely lunch at an Egyptian restaurant facing the bay.

We drove off to Qaitbay Citadel, a 15th century defensive fortress built to protect the city from the invading Crusaders. The Citadel of Qaitbay is a 15th-century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast, in Alexandria, Egypt. It was built from 1477 to 1479 AD. 

 Drove back to Cairo tired but had an interesting day.